Jacob Rees-Mogg And Priti Patel Honoured In Boris Johnson's Resignation Lists
Boris Johnson's honours list contains more than 40 names. (Alamy)
3 min read
Boris Johnson's honours and peerages lists have been published with Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel, and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen among those named.
The former prime minister's resignation honours and peerages lists, which combined is more than 40 names long, covers peerages, knighthoods, damehoods, and other honours like OBEs.
The peerages list includes Conservative member of the London Assembly and former London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey, Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, and Johnson's former Number 10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield.
On the list of those nominated for knighthoods are Tory MPs including former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Fabricant, and former minister Connor Burns - key Johnson loyalists.
Among those nominated for damehoods is former home secretary Priti Patel, former Tory party chair Amanda Milling, and Tory MP Andrea Marie Jenkyns - also key Johnson loyalists.
Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, who today announced she was stepping down as an MP, was widely expected to be listed for a peerage but did not appear on the list.
Like Dorries, former COP26 president and former cabinet minister Alok Sharma was also expected to be nominated for a peerage but did not appear in today's announcements.
In a statement, the prime minister's press secretary emphasised Sunak had "no involvement or input" in the peerages list that was approved by the House of Lords Appointment Commission (HOLAC).
“As is convention, the Prime Minister forwarded the former prime minister’s peerage list to HOLAC unaltered. HOLAC then passed back their approved list," said the Prime Minister's press secretary.
"The Prime Minister then accepted HOLAC's approved list and forwarded it unamended to the Sovereign for their approval.
"He had no involvement or input into the approved list. It is a point of fact that it is made public by the Commission if a Prime Minister overrules the Commission’s advice."
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner dismissed the lists as distractions. “Instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis, the Tories are spending their time doling out rewards for those who tried to cover up rule-breaking and toadied to a disgraced former prime minister," she said.
“It’s a sickening insult that those who planned Covid parties and held boozy lockdown bashes while families were unable to mourn loved ones are now set to be handed gongs by Rishi Sunak.
“As Boris Johnson faces yet more allegations and investigations about his conduct, the privilege of an honours list is spectacularly ill-judged and wholly undeserved.
“It’s shameful that Rishi Sunak has failed to stand up to his former boss’s outrageous demands and agreed to hand out prizes to this carousel of cronies.
“He promised integrity, but this weak Prime Minister is once again showing his appalling judgement by doing Boris Johnson’s bidding.”
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